Definition of Congo

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Republic of the Congo, People's Republic of the Congo, country in west central Africa (between Angola and Gabon); Democratic Republic of the Congo, country in central Africa on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, formerly Zaire; river in central Africa which flows from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Atlantic, Zaire River

congou \con"gou\ (?), congo \con"go\ (?) ], n. [chin. kung-foo labor.] black tea, of higher grade (finer leaf and less dusty) than the present bohea. see tea. of black teas, the great mass is called congou, or the "well worked", a name which took the place of the bohea of 150 years ago, and is now itself giving way to the term "english breakfast tea." w. williams.congo n1. a republic in central africa; achieved independence from belgium in 1960 [syn: congo, democratic republic of the congo , zaire, belgian congo]

2. a major african river (one of the world's longest); flows through congo into the south atlantic [syn: congo, congo river ]

Background
Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several subsequent sham elections as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by an insurrection backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DROC, Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda, and Congolese armed rebel groups, but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003; Joseph KABILA remains as president and is joined by four vice presidents representing the former government, former rebel groups, and the political opposition.

Map of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

More about the Democratic Republic of the Congo:

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People

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Economy

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Transnational Issues

Flag of the Republic of the Congo

Background
Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO, but ushered in a period of ethnic unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers with significant potential for offshore development.

Congo (or Kongo or Kongo) is the name of a major river in southern Africa, the Congo River. It is also the name of two countries that border that river: the much larger Democratic Republic of the Congo (capital: Kinshasa), once known as Zaire; and the smaller Republic of the Congo to the northwest (capital: Brazzaville).

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The Conference NGOs (CONGO; full "Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations") "is an independent, international, non-profit membership association of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It facilitates the participation of NGOs in United Nations debates and decision-making."